He said the forum, organized by ESRF in collaboration with the Planning Commission under the President’s Office, will give economic analysts an opportunity to exchange views on the general outlook of Tanzania’s economic growth potentials.

Four thematic papers will be presented and discussed before researchers and other stakeholders, including members of the Planning Commission, the Ministry of Finance and other top government officials.

Two important economic papers will be presented at the forum, one from the Governor of the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) Prof. Benno Ndulu, and another paper by Dr. Huang Chengwei, from the International Poverty Reduction Center in China (IPRCC). According to Dr Lunogelo the theme selected is based on the Medium Term Plan and MKUKUTA II, which will focus on industrialization, mining and tourism potential, land management and agriculture growth, leadership and governance as well as green growth, infrastructure and human resources development. “The above topics to be discussed will help to identify various potential areas relevant in the fight against poverty and assurance of inclusive economic growth,” he said.

He said Dr Huang had been invited so that participants can compare notes with the Chinese experience, as China has succeeded to reduce poverty by up to 70 percent of poverty in the past decade in particular.

Among the more crucial issues to be discussed in the forum is the agricultural sector as the backbone of the country’s economy.

Stakeholders will use the opportunity to find ways of handling the challenges facing the sector as it has tended to stagnate in its traditional hoe technology.

ESRF is an independent policy research institution established to develop capacity in economic and social policy analysis as well as development management by conducting and disseminating results from social and economic research.

The Planning Commission is an official think tank for strategic planning of the national economy to advise the government on medium and long term strategies for socio-economic development.